Better Information Sharing = Better Data Security

The bipartisan Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act (CISPA) is generating a lot of questions about not only why we need an enhanced national cybersecurity information-sharing structure, but also how an improved information-sharing structure would work. Many criticisms are built on the false premise that CISPA would put people’s personal privacy at risk. In reality, CISPA’s main goal is to do just the opposite – it would help protect Americans’ personal information. In short, it safeguards our cyber networks as well as our personal privacy.

As they shaped the bill, the bipartisan sponsors consulted with experts in security and privacy alike. And what they came up with is an enhanced system of information sharing so that members of industry and representatives of government would be able to more quickly share suspicious patterns, activities, and other clues when our computers, networks, and critical infrastructure face a cyber threat. This would allow security professionals in both private and public sectors to react in real-time to counter the threat and roll out new protections so fewer people are affected by it—and thus less of our personal information (such as our financial, medical, and other records) are compromised). The information the professionals would be sharing to achieve this goal is centered specifically around the danger and the technical data that are needed to stop it—not information about individuals like you and me.

We made this infographic to better explain how CISPA safeguards our information networks and your personal privacy. We demonstrate how, in three easy steps, your computer could go from distressed to defended.